Virtual gaming – be it video or online – has been a great source of entertainment for people along with being a popular means to unwind and relax. In India, conventional thinking has more or less perceived it as a gateway to a sedentary lifestyle and has hence been frowned upon on principle. However, the times, they are a-changing – radically.
Recent industry research has highlighted the role of gaming in unlocking greater aptitude and enhancing cognitive, critical thinking, as well as psychosocial skills among young gamers. At the same time, the rise of new-age mobile gaming startups in the country has popularized the concept of making real-time money by playing virtual games. The following are four such startups that are disrupting the country’s gaming industry on the back of their innovative approaches:
1. Gamezop
The differentiating factor which enables this platform to create a league of its own lies in its unconventional approach to engaging its target audience. Unlike other platforms, this platform eliminates storage-related concerns by allowing users to play any game on the portal without installing it on their digital device. Gamezop offers a range of over 250 HTML5 games to users to choose from, including money games. On the back of its lean model and the increasing smartphone penetration in the country, the company is poised to disrupt the bourgeoning Indian gaming market.
2. Dream11
What do you get when you combine fantasy gaming with the most popular sport in the country? A unicorn. Dream11, which is endorsed by none other than the inimitable M.S. Dhoni, became a sensation since its launch a decade ago, entering the elite billion-dollar club in April 2019. Fantasy gaming in India is picking the pace and it is easy to understand why. Combining the best of both worlds, the fantasy game allows users to leverage their sports aptitude and create a team to compete in live matches of kabaddi, cricket, football, etc. The best-performing team wins the tournament and players receive a real cash prize in the process.
3. PokerBaazi
Nothing could be further from the truth than the popular notion that Poker is just a game of luck. It is a gruelling contest of wits and psychological warfare where players need to have a command on skills such as risk analysis, reverse psychology, money management, etc. The axiom that every loss is a lesson holds truer for PokerBaazi that anything else. As for the winning party, they receive more than just money – they earn respect within the gaming community as well!
4. Mobile Premier League (MPL)
A skill-based e-sport platform, MPL enables users to participate in their preferred mobile game out of more than 30-odd options across several formats. The best part? Players stand to win a real cash prize in real-time after making it to the top of a tournament. Winners can collect their prize via UPI, bank transfer, or Paytm after the results are announced.
Needless to say, the chief reason the gaming industry is booming in the country is the rise of innovation-focused startups. Such enterprises are not only ushering a new age for the Indian gaming market but also for the popular consensus surrounding the idea of gaming, raising its status to that of a respectable profession. However, the road to unlocking this vision to the fullest is long and full of challenges. But we can rest assured that gamers, true to the founding tenet of their creed, will not give up till they succeed!
